Before the Storm
by Phoenixtears31
Summary: Cammie and Zach go on a camping trip to a secret place Cammie found in Nebraska. Disclaimer: Ally Carter owns all!


**Before the Storm**

The wind was blowing, the sun was setting somewhere in the east, and the beginnings of night life had come out of their homes. My feet made crunching noises as I walked down the dirt path, Zach following close behind me. I held out a big leaf and let him pass through without it spinning backwards and nailing him in the face. I saw little tiny fireflies lighting the way, I saw lighting lit up the night sky making it false daylight. A storm was brewing out in the middle of the ocean that was five miles from us.

"Why are we out here in the middle of a storm?" Zach asked apprehensively.

"I wanted you to show you my favorite spot, and it's best at night, this is where I came when I found out my dad wasn't coming back," I responded.

"Oh," was all he responded back, he looked uncomfortable for a minute, but then I slipped my hand in his and he seemed to ease up a bit. We continued walking for another five minutes, the lighting bugs buzzing by us, the owls hooting in the distance, and the trees bent over, acting like an umbrella. It looked like a rainforest in the middle of Nebraska. The path came to a winding turn, and then it ended, a big cave stood on a bunch of sharp rocks, a little tiny pool of water sat underneath it. You could see the raindrops drip on top of it. Goldfish jumped out of it occasionally, sucking up flies that hovered over the tiny pool.

Zach's intake of breath had told me all I needed to know, he loved it. He stared at me, eyes wide, and then asked, "Are you sure we're still in Nebraska?" I nodded at him, we've only walked about a mile to find this place.

"The best part is up in the cave, come on," I said pulling him along.

So we climbed the rocks, it wasn't too difficult, it was just like rock-wall climbing in 8th. We landed at the entrance of the cave, the outside made it seem small, but it was huge inside. The ceiling was at least 20 feet high, and there where different layers across from us, a water fall was set in the middle of the stair like levels. Leading down into another tiny pool. This time filled with lily pads and croaking frogs.

Zach looked at me, "This place, I don't even know where to start, it's just so breath taking."

"I know, I don't remember how I found it, but it just sort of appeared out of thin air," I told him.

"So… how did your mom break the news?" He asked wearily.

I sat down on one of the rocks and he did the same, wrapping his arm around my waist. I started my story, "I was working on something for Dr. Fibs in my tree house that my grandpa had help built. I was called in for dinner a little to early, so I knew something was wrong. My mom was there, she's _never_ here during the summer break, always off on some mission with my dad, that is until she started working at Gallagher," I took a deep breath and continued, "She said that my dad went on a mission alone when I asked her why she wasn't with him. She said that he wasn't coming back, that he was M.I.A," I chocked out the last bit, I took another big breath and finished, "So I ran, I ran as far away from my grandparents ranch as I could, and then I ran right into that pool down below, I was soaking wet, but I didn't care, and I kept going, climbing, until I found this place."

I looked at him, and he looked me, sympathy in his eyes, his hand running up and down my arm. It was comforting, sitting there with him. He took a deep breath and then said, "My parent's where on the same mission."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled into his jacket.

"It's not your fault, they knew the risks, and yet they went on the mission anyways. My uncle was watching me at the time, the C.I.A had called his place, told them they where dead. Mr. Solomon found their bodies chained to the wall, with bullet wounds in their heads. He was the only one who came out alive, unless your dad is really still out there."

His face had gone pale, he was starring blankly at the opposite side of the cave. I was sobbing silently into his jacket without his knowledge. Once I was finished, I looked up at him, he had tears in his eyes that he refused to let down. "It's okay," I said rubbing his back reassuringly. His straight posture broke then, he slumped down into me, and I turned it into a hug. He started sobbing, I was whispering "It's okay," in his ear. We stayed like that for what seemed like forever.

Then he got control over himself, "I'm sorry." He said, looking down, ashamed of himself.

"Don't ever apologize for having feelings, it's natural to feel sadness. I don't ever want you to feel sorry for crying in front of me. If anything, it lets me know you're still human," I said softly.

"That's the first time I've ever cried from them, I never said the words out loud, I didn't want to make it final, even when I went their funeral." Zach whispered so softly I wasn't sure I heard him at all, but he nodded his head as if answering my unasked question. 'whether or not I head him correctly.'

"You're the only I trust Cammie, no one else knows the whole story. No one else has ever seen me loose control like that. I need you to promise me, that you'll always be there when I need you, because I'll always be there for you," Zach looked at me deeply.

"I'll always be there for you, you mean more to me than you'll ever know," I answered.

A couple minutes of silence past as we listened to the storm raging outside, thunder shook the walls and rocks bounced down and hit the tiny pool, sending the frogs back in for night.

"I think we should spend the night here, the storm is to harsh for us to walk back in, I left my grandparents a note saying we're going camping. Just incase we didn't make it," I told him, he nodded.

So we took our sleeping bags our of our bags, laid them down, and got in them. We drifted off to sleep as soon as our bodies where tangled together.

**_Hope you enjoyed this little oneshot, I have another one coming out. _**

**_It'll be A LOT different from this one though, so keep your eyes open. _**

**_Review please!! :)_**


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